Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old American, disco-danced her way to a historic gold medal at the Assago Arena in Milan on Thursday night, becoming the first US women’s Olympic figure skating champion in over two decades. Her stunning performance, set to a Donna Summer medley, marked a remarkable comeback for the skater who had previously stepped away from the sport.
Liu, who took a two-year hiatus after finishing seventh at the Beijing Games as a 16-year-old, captivated the audience in a golden sequinned dress. She shattered her season’s best free skate score by almost four points, propelling her above Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who secured silver, and 17-year-old Ami Nakai, who had held a two-point lead after Tuesday’s short program.
